Self-propelled child&#39;s merry-go-round



l. HOROWITZ 3,043,590

SELF-PROPELLED CHILDS MERRY-GO-ROUND 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 July 10, 1962 Filed April 4, 1960 Isadore Horowitz J INVENTOR BY Mfirfi ATIORNEYJ' July 10, 1962 l. HOROWITZ SELF-PROPELLED CHILD'S MERRY-GO-ROUND INVENTOR Isadore Horowltz I2 BY Mfiar W ATTORNEYS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed A United States Patent fii3C Patented July 10, 1962 3,043,590 SELF-PROPELLED CHILDS MERRY-GO-ROUND Isadore Horowitz, Shreveport, La., assiguor to Universal Manufacturing Co., Inc., Bossier City, La., :1 corporation of Louisiana Filed Apr. 4, 1960, Ser. No. 19,552 3 Claims. (Cl. 272-33) The present invention relates to an improvement in merry-go-round structures and more particularly to a simplified base and crankshaft post construction for a childs home or neighborhood playground occupant propelled merry-go-round.

Occupant propelled playground type merry-go-rounds are by no means new in themselves many different types and styles having been heretofore proposed as will be apparent from a consideration of United States Letters Patent 198,659 to F. Millward, 1,733,005 to H. D. Clayton, 1,874,792 to G. Myers, 2,405,495 to R. B. Franklin, 2,516,049 to I. S. Evans, 2,556,552 to J. S. Patten, 2,711,- 898 to C. Iasillo and 2,810,577 to S. B. Howard.

It is the primary object of this invention, therefore, to

provide an occupant propelled merry-go-round for childrens playground usage which is simple, rugged and inexpensive yet capable of being packaged in knockdown form for handy shipment and over the counter retail marketing.

Another important object of the present invention is to provide a novel merry-go-round knockdown base and centerpost socket assembly which, when assembled, provides a unit which can readily be placed in position and leveled before completion of the assembly.

A further object of the present invention is to pro vide an occupant propelled childs merry-go-round having a widespread, spraddle-legged, low center of gravity base structure with an upstanding fixed crankshaft type centerpost and relatively rotatably mounted seat frame and foot rest elements to obviate upsetting of the merrygo-round and leg injury from the close passage of the foot rest past the base legs should an occupants feet be removed from the foot rest and permitted to dangle in the path of the base legs.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a fabricated merry-go-round structure made up of standard structural channels, plates, tubing and rod material suitably welded to form readily shippable subassemblies adapted to be finally assembled into a usable structure by the ultimate user.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an accupant propelled merry-go-round structure for home and neighborhood playground usage that is substantially free of injury producing sharp corners and interconnected revolving elements that might forcefully drive a childs body or limbs against a stationary part in such a manner as to snap break" or crush a body part.

- Still further objects will appear from the following description and appended claims when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the merry-go-round of the present invention illustrating the manner in which the occupants normally utilize the same;

FIGURE 2 is an exploded perspective view of the merry-go-round of FIGURE 1 illustrating the major subassemblies and parts in their respective relative positions for assembly;

FIGURE 3 is a vertical sectional view through the centerpost and centerpost socket of an assembled merrygo-round showing the manner in which the various subassemblies cooperate to provide the advantages afforded by the present invention; and

FIGURE 4 is a fragmental view of the foot rest channel bar with one flange end broken away to illustrate the manner in which puncture injury sharp corners are avoided without the necessity of employing specially formed channel sections.

With continued reference to the drawings wherein like reference numerals are employed throughout to indicate the same parts, the numeral 10 generally indicates the merry-go-round of the present invention. As will appear from a consideration of FIGURE 2, the merry-go-round 10 is made up from a plurality of identical leg sub-assemblies 1 1, 12, .13 "bolted to afabricated post socket sub-assembly 14 by nut and bolt assemblies 15 to form a main support base, a centerpost sub-assembly 16 in the form of a crank shaft the lowermost end 17 of which is closely telescopingly received in post socket subassembly 14, a rotatable seat frame sub-assembly .18 journaled on centerpost sub-assembly 16, a foot rest sub-assembly 19 journalled on the lower end of seat frame sub-assembly 18, suitable bearing washers 21, spacer washer 22, saddle seats 23, anti-rotation bolt and screw assembly 24 for fixedly securing centerpost sub-assembly 16 in post socket sub-assembly 14 so it will be non-rotatably secured to the main support base, cap elements 25 and 26, spacer washers 27 and tubular hand grip sleeve 28. Operation is effected by the occupants or an occupant seated on the saddle seats 23 with the feet braced against foot rest sub-assembly 19 grasping offset hand grip sleeve 28 ofcenterpost sub-assembly 16 and pulling themselves toward the offset hand grip sleeve 28 in proper timed relation. Since centerpost sub-assembly 16 is non-rotatably fixed to the main support base and as both the seat frame sub-assembly 18 and foot rest sub-assembly 19 are rotatably related thereto and to each other the proper timed pulling action of the occupants will effect unitary rotary movement of the occupants, the seat frame sub-assembly 18 and the foot rest subassembly 19 around the axis of the main body section 31 of centerpost sub-assembly 16. Depending upon the occupants timing accuracy, the rotational speed can be progressively increased by taking advantage of the mo-. mentum forces to a point wherein an enjoyable rotary movement can be maintained with little physical effort.

While this simplified stationary propulsion crank shaft arrangement is effective in assuring an economically prac tical home and neighborhood playground type of merrygo-round, the particular novel details of construction permitting fabricated sub-assemblies are particularly effective to this end and in addition assure a device that is relatively free of injury producing danger spots in the propulsion system and that assures against accidental upsetting in use.

The main support base constitutes a major factor in assuring a structure that will not readily upset. This is accomplished by reason of the fabricated self-reinforcing nature of the support base. Each of the leg elements is fabricated from a pair of leg struts 32 and 33 of heavy gauge metal tubing. Leg strut 32 is slightly shorter than strut 33 and, in use, forms the lowermost leg strut. The outer or lowermost ends of leg struts 32 and 33 are partially flattened and then welded together as best shown at 34 (FIGURE 1) to form generally V-shaped leg subassemblies 11, 12 and 13 the inneror upper ends of which are angularly bent downwardly as seen in FIG- URE l at points 35 and 36 respectively to form parallel attachment portions 37 and 38 which are in turn flattened out throughout their length for a purpose to be presently pointed out.

Referring for the moment to FIGURES 2 and 3 of the drawings, it will be noted that flattened attachment portions 38 of struts 33 are substantially shorter than attachment portions 37 of struts 32 and that the respective attachment portions 37 and 38 are disposed to supportingly engage the underfaces of the lower and upper of the centerpost sub-assembly 16 is assured.

socket sub-assembly plate elements 3? and 41 welded at 42 to the opposite ends of connector sleeve 43 of the I socket sub-assembly 14. As best seen in FIGURE 3,

end of connector sleeve 43 and are each provided with a pair of spaced bolt holes to receive the nut and bolt assemblies at the opposite ends of the respective marginal portions of plate 39. Blades 39 and 41 are both provided with centered plate apertures 44 so they may .be madeidentical to guard against misassembly at the factory. It follows, therefore, that the otherwise open bottom end of the centerpost socket is effectively blocked by the underlying and partially overlapping attachment portions 37 of leg struts 32. Since these attachment portions are double bolted to plate 39 adjacent opposite sides of the bottom plate aperture 44 and are formed by a double thickness of heavy gauge tube metal, a strong firm abutment for engagement by the lower end In packing the device for shipment, the leg sub-assemblies and centerpost socket sub-assembly 14 are disassembled and packed separately to minimize the size of the ultimate shipping container.

The. next major sub-assembly is the centerpost subassembly 16 made up of a main shaft portion 31 formed by a length of heavy gauge tubing having an external diameter to freely but closely fit the interior of connector sleeve 43 and an L-shapexlrod 51 the short leg 52 .of which is welded in diametrically opposed apertures in'the upper end of shaft portion 31 as indicated at 53 in FIGURE 3. The long leg 54 of rod 51 is pinched in at diametrically opposed points adjacent its juncture with short leg 52 to form stop protuberances 55 for lower spacer washer 27 associated with hand grip sleeve 28.

, While-the spacing washers 27, hand grip sleeve 28 and metal securing cap 26 might be assembled at the factory, they can be packaged separately since cap 26 is in the form ofia push nut and can be tapped in place with a hammer by the user. Cap 25 on the other hand is merely a cover cap notched at 56 (FIGURE 2) to encompass rod leg 52 and closely fitting the upper end of main body portion 31 to. exclude foreign matter from the inside of main body portion 31. j

The main body portion 31 of centerpost sub-assembly 16 is intendedto be fixedly secured to socket sub-assembly 14 in a manner to prevent its undesired withdrawal. While this fixed'relationship may be obtained in any desired manner, it will be appreciated that the simple bolt and nut assembly 24 previously described will suffice since the lower end ofmain body portion .31 abuttingly engages the leg attachment portions 37 of leg struts 32 and is thereby supported in predetermined axial relation to socket sub-assembly 14. To assure an effective anti-rotation and anti-withdrawal connection, the present invention contemplates a pair of diametrically opposed bolt openings 57 (FIGURE 2)"in the lower end 17 of main body section 31 and diametrically aligned bolt and bolt head openings 58 and 59 (FIG- URE 3) in the connector sleeve 43 coaxially related to the center line of bolt openings 57 when main body portion 31 is firmly abutted on the socket end closing attachment portions 37. It will be appreciated that under such conditions the bolt and nut assembly 24, when drawn tight, will draw the center-post assemblyv 16 to the left as seen in FIGURE 3 to clamp body portion 31 between the bolt head and the inner opposed face of connector sleeve 43 and the bolt head will lie flush against'the opposite face of main body portion 31 in head opening 59. It follows, therefore, that relative rotation of centerpost assembly 16 and socket assembly 14 cannot occur unless bending of the bolt shank of the metal wall of connector sleeve 43 engaged by the nut occurs and that if this should happen the bolt head upon very slight relative rotational movement will firmly abut the wall of head opening 59 to arrest further rotational movement. An exceedingly efi'ective anti-rotation means is thus provided by the instant structure.

The seat frame sub-assembly 18 which is journalled on the protruding portion of centerpost main body section 31 is composed of a length of an inverted channel member 61 of conventional form having a drilled opening 62 midway between its ends, a journal sleeve 63 having one end welded to the underface of the channel web and depending between the opposite channel side flanges in coaxial relation to opening 62 and a pair of upwardly and outwardly extending reinforcing struts 62 (FIGURE 2) interconnecting journal sleeve 63 and the oppositely directed portions of channel member 61 to form a rigid reinforced seat frame sub-assembly. While any suitable form of reinforcing strut 64 may be employed, the present invention contemplates heavy gage tubing crimped in at its opposite ends to flatten the ends substantially at 45 angles to its axis to fit against the outer surface of sleeve 63 and the under face of channel member 61 to be welded thereto as indicated at 65. The opposite ends of channel member 61 are suitably drilled at 66 (FIG- URE 2) in axially spaced relation to receive bolt and nut assemblies 6'7 for securing saddle type seats 23 thereto. Also the end corners of the depending flanges are respectively bent inwardly and upwardly as best indicated at 68 (FIGURE 4) to avoid an exposed sharp corner that might seriously puncture a juvenile user playing carelessly around the merry-go-round.

It will be appreciated from an inspection of FIGURE 2 that the lower extremity 69 of sleeve 63 lying beyond the points of connection of struts 64 thereto is free of external obstructions and that the upper and lower hearing washers 21 are sleeve Washers having a radially directed flange '71 at one end. These washers 21 are preferably formed of nylon and respectively inserted in the opposite ends of journal sleeve 63 with their flanges 71 overlying the opening defining upper face portion of the web of channel 61 and the lower end of sleeve 63 as best shown in FIGURE 3. As a consequence, the lower washer serves both as an anti-friction journal bearing and as an end thrust bearing to reduce the friction that would otherwise develop between plate 41 and the lower end of journal sleeve 63 as a result of the weight of seat frame sub-assembly 18 and its occupants. Since the upper bearing is identical in construction but does not have any end thrust forces applied to it, the upper and lower bearings may be switched in event the flange 71 of the lower bearing washer 21 should become unduly worn by usage.

The obstruction free lower extremity 69 of sleeve 63 telescopically receives the foot rest sub-assembly 19 which, preferably, is formed to havea loose fit with extremity 69 to assure relative rotation of sub-assemblies 18 and 19. Like sub-assembly 18. the foot rest subassembly is made up of a length 73 of an inverted channel member of conventional form apertured midway of its ends at 74 and" a journal sleeve 75 of relatively short length having one end welded to the underface of the channel web and depending between the opposite channel side flanges in coaxial relation to aperture 74. Due to the relatively short length of sleeve 75, adequate reinforcement is provided by selection of tubular material having an external diameter to closely fit the space between the side flanges of channel member 73 and welding the exterior of sleeve 75 to the channel flanges along its diametrically opposite points of contact as indicated generally at 76 (FIGURE 3).

While any suitable container might be provided for shipment of the knock-down merry-go-round of this in-..

est dimensions and the element of greatest length. It follows, therefore, that an elongated corrugated paperboard container of sufficient length and width to receive the seat frame sub-assembly and a height to permit placement of centerpost sub-assembly 18 and leg elements 11, 12 and 13 thereon will sulfice since the remaining elements can be fitted into the spaces between these major elements.

Assembly of the merry-go-round can best be accomplished by connecting the leg elements 11, 12 and 13 to centerpost socket sub-assembly 14 to complete the support base. Then the seat frame sub-assembly 18 and foot rest sub-assembly 19 can be interfitted and the respective upper and lower sleeve bearings 21 can be inserted into the opposite ends of journal sleeve 63. The centerpost sub-assembly 16 can then be telescoped downwardly through journal sleeve 63 and its bearing washers 21, fitted with fibre washer 22 and bodily lifted into position to insert lower end 17 into centerpost socket sleeve 43. Anti-rotation nut and bolt assembly 24 can then be inserted by aligning openings 57, 58 and 59. When nut and bolt assembly 24 is tightened the major elements will be fixedly associated so the final steps of bolting saddle seats to seat frame channel member 61 and, if not assembled at the factory, hand grip 28 and its spacer washers 27 can be assembled and secured in assembled relation by driving push nut 26 home.

The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The present embodiment is therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the.

appended claims rather than by the foregoing description, and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.

What is claimed and desired to be secured by United States Letters Patent is:

1. A self-propelled merry-go-round comprising a rigid, upstanding post socket having angularly spaced downwardly and outwardly radiating support legs extending therefrom; a centerpost in the form of a crank shaft having a main body section the lower end of which is fixed in said post socket and the remainder of which protrudes upwardly from said post socket and terminates in an offset crank portion; a seat frame including a mounting sleeve journalled on the portion of said main body section protruding upwardly from said post socket; respective bearing means interposed between said mounting sleeve and said centerpost in wide vertically spaced relation and having respective integral, outwardly flanged thrust bearing flanges thereon, the lower-most bearing sleeve with its flange interposed between said mounting sleeve and said post socket to assure free relative rotation between said seat frame and said post socket and said spaced bearing means assuring anti-canting free relative rotation between said mounting sleeve and said centerpost; and means journalled on said crank portion operable by anoccupant or occupants seated on said seat frame to create a reaction force against said seat frame thereby imparting rotation to said seat frame and its occupants.

2. The merry-go-round of claim 1 wherein said main body section of said center post comprises a length of metal tubing telescoped into said post socket and said post socket and said center post have respectively aligned diametrically opposed pairs of through openings spaced above their respective lower ends a predetermined distance to assure alignment of said pairs of openings upon telescopic assembly of said socket and center post, one opening in said post socket being appreciably larger than the other openings and a bolt and nut assembly having the bolt shank extending through said aligned pairs of openings with the bolt head seated in said one opening to fixedly but removably clamp said center post against relative rotation in said post socket.

3. The merry-go-round of claim 1 wherein said seat frame comprises a channel bar having a longitudinally centered through opening in its body web and depending flanges; said mounting sleeve depending downwardly from said channel bar with the upper end of said mounting sleeve being disposed between said depending flanges in coaxially aligned relation to said through opening; a weld connection fixing said mounting sleeve to said channel bar; downwardly and inwardly directed strut bars extending between the oppositely directed ends of said channel bar and diametrically opposite regions on said dependingmounting sleeve; and means fixedly connecting the opposite ends of said struts respectively to said channel bar and said depending mounting sleeve'thereby forming a self-reinforcing seat frame effectively distributing the canting forces between said spaced bearing means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

